Preview of Wadi Rum
Today we got a preview of Wadi Rum in Jordan. We saw the new Dune movie, parts of which were filmed in Jordan. Other filming locations included the desert outside of Abu Dhabi. Most scenes likely included some CGI enhancements, but without that it is still an amazing place. There is a reason movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, The Martian, etc. were filmed there!
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The Martian had particularly good long shots of Wadi Rum when he is trekking across Mars. The scenery is magnificent.
Your picture is a good illustration of why I recommended in another thread that when you head out to Wadi Rum and transfer from the bus to the local tribe supplied and driven pickup trucks, you want to be near the front of the column. We went to Wadi Rum as part of a group of 60+ off a cruise ship meaning 15+ pickups (at 4 per, on benches in the bed), you can imagine what it was like to have 14+ trucks ahead of you kicking up the dust! (We were in the 3rd truck...not too bad).
Portolan...Good advice. My tour only has 17 people but I will still aim to get in the first pick-up truck.
I was in the Liwa Desert of Abu Dhabi when the production team was setting up for some of the Star Wars scenes. My scheduled excursion to the "Salt Lake" was detoured to what I called the "Salt Pond" because, after checking with the movie's director, security wouldn't let our jeep into the area. (Unfortunately the cast wasn't scheduled to arrive at our hotel until the following week.) I recommend that anyone who visits the UAE expand their horizons from Dubai and Abu Dhabi city and visit the desert.
PureLuxury: good point in that the Tauck groups will be significantly smaller which will help greatly with the overall dust issue. To be clear, the dust is only an issue while moving between stops where you get out. It settles quickly, so the scenic views are undisturbed.
Portolan has his terminology right- there is no sand and no sandstorms- the sand is so fine it is more akin to dust. I had an old beater car in Bahrain. Every area that could possibly have dust in it, did- dust was inside the dome lights, behind the instrument panel cover and in a number of cases, places that you would think were sealed, like gauge housings, also had dust in them. It was amazing.
and eyes, ears and noses. I'd recommend taking a buff along just in case you are at the back of the convoy.
I guess it’s a place that you need to be careful with your cameras then? My camera was ruined in the Namibian sand dunes even though it was in a sealed ziplock bag, sand got in the lens closing mechanics and it would not close properly.
To keep the sand out of your eyes, how about ski or other type of goggles, too; just in case the wind is blowing:
The dust was only a problem while moving, so using a protective cover during those times (or at least having one at hand) is a good plan. Besides my DSLR, I travel with a Nikon AW100 which is waterproof (to deeper than I'll ever be going), frost-proof and therefore dustproof. I bought it 9 years ago for use on the zodiacs in Antarctica (DSLR in a waterproof bag until I got ashore)...there are newer models are available in this line and others that are similar.
My first rule in dusty/sandy climes is to never change lenses on the DSLR so I use a very wide range zoom lens which is well-sealed. That's what I'll be using next October at Wadi Rum (and Egypt), fingers crossed.
AlanS - Is that BKMD with you in the picture above?
😂😂😂❤️
I'm surprised your posts haven't been flagged yet. Sam, do I need to resurrect the three stooges pic?